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Broncos use variety of looks to keep run-first offense fresh

Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow cuts through an opening in the defense to complete a 7-yard touchdown run during the first quarter Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. It was Tebow's eighth rushing touchdown as a QB with the Broncos, trailing only John Elway who had 33.
(John Leyba, The Denver Post
)

And those who have lived by the run through the years have had a chip on their shoulders about their way of doing things.

That if a team chucked it around 50 times in a game, nobody would accuse it of running the same play over and over or lacking imagination along the way.

So, after the Broncos pounded away at a Chiefs defense that knew the run was coming Sunday, lined up like the run was coming and failed to stop the run anyway, Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow said there was plenty of variety in those 55 Denver carries.

"One of the things is, I don't know that every time they knew exactly what was coming," Tebow said. "There was mixing it up, as far as how we're blocking, where we're going, if we're reading it or not. It could look that way just watching, but that was something we did a good job of, keeping them off balance as far as what we were doing."

The Raiders could file it under a surprise when the Broncos ran over and around them for 299 yards a week ago, including 17 snaps worth of the read option.

The Chiefs have no such crutch to lean on, having used wide receiver Jerhame Urban, a former high school quarterback, and backup quarterback Tyler Palko — a lefty, like Tebow — handling their option in practice all week.

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Yes, the Broncos spiced in a little of this, a little of that, working all parts of the formation, giving opponents even a little more to look over as the team has run for at least 162 yards in each of the last five games and has topped 200 yards in the past two games.

"That's kind of been our MO, trying to run the ball regardless of what the defense is doing," right guard Chris Kuper said. "We have some things where we mix it up, give them some different looks."

What went right

First down in the run game is offensive best on defensive best, especially for a team like Denver that hasn't shown a desire to throw in recent weeks.

The Broncos, despite the Chiefs allocating plenty of resources at the line of scrimmage to stop them, kept things productive on first down.

They had only two runs longer than 8 yards on first down — a 12-yarder by Willis McGahee on the first play from scrimmage and a 19-yard run out of the shotgun by Tebow in the second quarter — but they gained 95 first- down rushing yards on 23 carries.

That was a 4.1 yards-per-carry average and meant they were in second- and-6 or shorter frequently.

"And those are the kind of manageable situations you're looking for," Kuper said.

What went wrong

There would have been signs of trouble if the Broncos hadn't enjoyed the luxury of a lead. Without the benefit of even a serviceable passing game at the moment — they have not topped 125 net yards passing (yards passing minus sacks) in any of Tebow's starts — third-down situations continue to be a problem.

They converted only 5-of-14 on third down Sunday and only three of those running the ball. Eight of their third-down runs went for 3 yards or less.

The Broncos are 14-of-56 on third down in Tebow's four starts — 25 percent — a trouble spot if a run-first and run-second team can't keep the scoreboard on their side.

Up next

Tebow is 3-0 as a starter against defenses that entered the weekend ranked 21st or worse, 0-1 against defenses that entered the weekend in the top 10 (Detroit).

The Lions will fall after their blowout loss to the Bears on Sunday, but Detroit beat the Broncos by 35 points in Denver.

The Jets will bring the most aggressive, unorthodox defense Tebow has seen to Denver on Thursday night. The Jets entered their game with high-powered New England on Sunday night with the No. 8 defense in the league.

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